The Blood Rivers
by anonplus
Summary: Anna's normal life is about to take an unexpected turn, a pale hand guiding her into a path that flows into her past and her future. The price for it, its a dark red trail and some regret. Vampire Au, Modern Au
1. The first night

Thursday night and extremely tired, but hey, at least is not a monday, right? Besides, tonight is one of the few nights I have all to myself. Mom has her night shift at Saint Arendelle's Hospital, she is a nurse, which means she is not at home all that much, but hey, before you start judging me, I'm a teenager, it's more than normal to seek and enjoy the absence of their parents, be it for natural or unnatural forces. That sounded weird…

Anyway, with my homework done and nobody home, there is only one thing I want to do right now…

Yes, you guess it, I'm going upstairs to my room and going to watch the most delightful baby animal videos!

I love running up the stairs, skipping a few steps here and there, ignoring the family photos hanging on the wall, not even thinking for a second about touching the old wooden handrail. My heart is racing, I feel alive.

I see the door to my room, 'Keep close or else' says the the plastic sticker, which also has their own stickers on it, a rainbow, a unicorn and a heart. Yes, I might be a tomboy at times, but, I'm a sucker for cute things and pink shirts and chocolate, but, who isn't?

I bust the door open and turn the light on…

I freeze, there is someone in my room. My heart keeps beating as fast, if not faster than on my way up here. My throat is shut, no sound to speak or alert anyone else. My brain finally processes wait my eyes where fixed on, it was a woman, or, a girl?

But she was sitting on her heels on top of the my chair resting arm. It was impossible, that is not how gravity works, the chair should either break or fall.

My right left feels crippled and my right one is vibrating. Pure fear.

"Do, not scream" her voice calm and low

Scream...I should be screaming, why can't I scream?

This stranger on my room with skin pale as bone and hair as pale as the moon. I need to, i have to do something, anything…

"M-my name is Anna" no, not that don't give her your name you idiot!, "Please leave or...or I will call the police, I promise"

Failed at being tough and failed at being intimidating, my trembling voice was as the sounds a guinea pig would make in the face of danger, which is not very different than the sound they make when they want food...What is wrong with me?

"Would you at least let me tell you my name?", her voice monotone and cold, her blue eyes reflecting light, almost as if the light was coming from her irises. Those eyes looked straight into me, and fear crawled up my spine.

In panic, I grabbed the first object at hand, a deodorant, and threw it at her as hard as I could.

I opened my eyes, the chair falls, she does not.

My heart freezes. In that moment I realized what this creature of perfect features and cold eyes was, it was clear as crystal, her see thru skin, her platinum hair, the white shirt with and a black choker, those black leather boots with silver brooches.

"Vampyr" the words rushing out of my lips faster than I could think.

The creature of the night stretches her legs, slowly, descending on the tips of her toes with the grace of a trained ballerina. Her feet crossing, she does a reverence bowing her head to me.

"That is indeed one of the names of our people. My name is Elisabeta of Sweet River, pleasure to meet you, Anna"

Her voice traveling thru every single red hair of my body.

A smile draws on her lips...and there they were, fangs made for tearing the flesh of their victims, fangs to end a life, fangs to feed…

And I was there, surely the main dish of her night.

"You might be wondering what my intentions are...well, I came here tonight as part of a ritua-"

A blinding light came from the window behind her, her voice cut off by a loud mechanical sound, mother's old suv was parking at the drive way. I cover my eyes from the intense light for less than a second, and, she was no longer there.

That pale creature wasn't here. Was she ever here, am I losing my mind like uncle eight fingers!

No, this can't be right, she said something, a ritual, a ritual?

So does this means I am but a sacrifice?

Gods, why did she just...just disappeared like that!? Aren't vampires like, super polite in books?

"Anna are you home, I got some groceries on the way here, can you help me get them in?"

And of course mother is acting like nothing happened, although, that might be what I need, to act like it never happened in the first place. Haha, I get it now, that was just an hallucination from eating too much and watching too many horror movies lately, yeah that has to be it right, I am def not losing my mind.

I go downstairs, feeling a bit more confident now that I had peace with the fact that my head is at times not the brightest and that there are no such thing as vampires or ghost or zombies or…

"There you are! Are you deaf or just hate your mother!"

"Mo-mom, I'm so sorry I didn't hear you-"

"Oh, don't even try to sell yourself innocent, you know the suv engine has been the loudest on this side of Arendelle…" She was mad, her voice fueled by the nuisance of having to carry six plastic bags full of groceries while your teenage daughter is on that facebook thing on her phone or something, "now, get down here and help me!"

'Well excuse me, mother, I was fighting the forces of the night, by myself, in my room and armed with a roll on deodorant, you are welcome'

I would never say that out loud, but, oh dear gods, I sure wanted to.

This could have been a not unusual thursday's mother-daughter conflict, but, none of us could stay mad after the korean fried chicken mom had bought on on her way home. Who could?

We started chatting about the little things our day had, from my boring day at school to her boring long day at the hospital, obviously, I left the part when a pale figure in a deep v cleavage was in my room. Although, there was a tiny part of me that wanted to tell her about it, lucky me, the rest of me didn't wanted to stay locked in a mental asylum for the rest of my life.

A knocking came from the front door as we were washing our supper dishes.

A strange feeling crept on my back.

"I'm coming!, You do the rest sweetie, I will see who's at the door"

A voice in my head was yelling, 'Do not let her in', but all I did was nodding while my mother walked away from me.

"Anna, come here, quickly!"

Fight or run…

Fight it is, my body tenses, a knife in hand, ready to defend my life I go fast, yet cautious to the front door.

"On guard, demon!"

The metal blade on my hand pointing at the front door.

"Here help me carry this basket the- put down that spoon and help me", she was confused, but unharmed.

My mother was right, in a hurry I had grabbed the first thing I could reach, again, and ended up with the least lethal one in the kitchen.

"What is that? Who sent it mom?"

"Well, I guess it's a gift from our new neighbors, remember the house at the end of the street, the old house you used to call a Castle, well it finally got sold"

"Wait someone actually paid for the creepy ed scissorhands house?"

'Oh, of course she did. What creature of the shadows wouldn't love a creepy castle '

The basket contained cheese that looked like it was made out of wood; two bottles of wine, one clear and one rose colored one; two huge chocolate bars; a very small can of fish eggs; an air sealed bag with small dried fish; and a bag of spicy beef jerky, a weird addition to a otherwise fancy gift basket.

A letter was also included:

A week from now, our house will have a baptism. You are cordially invited

Batpism? Is that a vampyr thing? but the house is not inhabitable, "Oh, can they really remodel the old creepy house in a week, uh our new neighbors I mean"

"Well, number one, they have to be loaded to buy a house like that one and, number two...there have been contractors working on it for a month or so"

Lying to her own daughter.

"No-uh"

"Oh, dear, I wish I was your age again. Going thru life thinking of nothing but shoes and boys, letting your hormones guide you to your doom"

"Ugh"

Sometimes I wish I was an orphan. I swear to the gods, is almost as if she knew exactly what precise tone and rhythm to cast her devilish poisonous words, not to kill, but just a slow burning dead by annoyance.

With everything from the gifted basket and every item from mom's grocery list, mother left for her night shift, not before leaving the usual warnings and tasks.

"No boys, no coffee, and remember to leave me a bowl of fruit salad in the fridge, you know how hungry night shifts get me", a kiss on the cheek and she left into the night.

Now I'm alone.

For the next 7 hours, 6 if I'm lucky enough. Maybe, I can stay awake for enough time to- no, I have school tomorrow, and mom will get met to class no matter what, and I don't think the vampire excuse will work.

I have no other option but to remain cautious, close every window, door, closet and cabinet, and pray the gods for a sunrise.

I distracted myself watching short funny clips on my phone and eating a chunk of one of the humongous chocolate bars in the living room. But even ion batteries die at some point, and it was twelve minutes to midnight already. I had to go back upstairs to my room and sleep and recharge my energy as well.

I took step by step, not skipping, not running, looking at the reflection on every portrait's glass as I advance further up.

The door to my room still open, the light, still on.

My room is safe, the only stranger, a white piece of paper on my bed.


	2. The root of all evils

I slept like a rock a few hours after finding that letter, although I did not rest, my dreams were haunted by red strings of thoughts of violence and fangs.

Before last night, every book, tale, movie and television show about the creatures of the night, were but fantasies and myths. Stories you tell to yourself to find something out of the ordinary, something to make the dull days past quicker and lively. But today I woke up knowing that the devil herself has chosen me as part of some kind of ritual, and to make it even worse, I can see the lights in her creepy house on from my bedroom window.

Why was I the chosen one?  
I am a normal girl, well yes my hair is red, not bright red, more like a dark orange and yes I do have that birthmark that makes a strand of my hair silver, and my eyes are blue, everyone in this town has them, well not everyone, but in this norther cold part of Europe its not unusual. Anything else on this normal girl list...oh, yeah, my body type is nothing amazing, I'm slim, and that is about it, I'm as tall as most girls my age, and neither my hips nor breasts are even as wide and full as that pale creature. Not-not that I had looked at her body for that long or anything, is just, uhm, it was right there in front of me.

There she is again, in my head. I can't stop thinking about last night, about those eyes glowing like the moon, the pronounced teeth like daggers she has for canines, her skin see thru and exposed-

"Are you okay Anna? You have been distracted all morning and quiet, you are never this quiet in class" My concerned friend, Rapunzel, of big honey colored eyes and even longer honey colored hair was right, I'm usually cheerful and getting in trouble for being overly sociable in classes.

"I had a bad night, a cockroach got into my room at night and it took me some time to get rid of her-of it"

"Well, maybe you need more spiders in your house. A predator to keep those bugs in line, or get a-"

"I'm not getting a chameleon like you, stop asking"

Was that what the vampires are, just humanity's only natural predator, a reason to keep our senses sharp?

"You are such a weirdo, Rapz"

"I think of it as a endearing treat, just like the stripes on a tiger, or a cat that doesn't like boxes", her voice full of pride and her face looking up to the horizon in full honesty, I smiled for the first time today, "See, endearing".

"And that's why you are my best friend"

* * *

The more we walk, the thinner the group gets as people take the train, bus, or just take different streets back to their homes. That included us two as well.

The few minutes I walked alone, my mind wandered a few times to the note she left on my room. It was almost as she could read my mind, or perhaps, I was drawn onto those thoughts after reading the note.

I remember vampires using some forms of hypnosis on those old horror movies, but their requests were always direct action, but maybe it was like those magicians implanting a choice, forcing you to believe the four of hearts was the card you chose.

I did my homework, made supper and tried to look normal in front of mother as we eat the fish fillet and rice.

Now I'm in my room, the sun is about to disappear on the horizon, sitting on the floor and holding the note on my hands.

'Our conversation was cut off short, I have so much to tell you, and, I know you want to know more about the ritual and your role. You are not a sacrifice, you are not my prey, you are not my pet. If you want to continue our conversation, please put a glass of water on your bedroom window and I will be there'.

I put the glass half full of water on the on the desk next to the window and went back to my sitting position on the wooden floor. I keep the light on, I don't know if that would help, but I know darkness is not on my side.

As I wait for her to come into my room again, this time invited, I keep thinking about the reasons I had to summon her into my room, whether it was because I was alone, or bored, or under her influence, I couldn't find a reason not to.

Maybe I was really that plain and eager to not be that girl with the normal grades and normal body and normal shoes and by no means interesting. I was desperate to become someone, someone that people would remember someday, not as the good girl that once had a boyfriend that became an ice truck driver, but as someone...unique. Even if that required my mortal life, it seems a lot better than to be stuck on this middle class suburb tied to a destiny worst than death, the stay at home mom.

The last ray of of the sun died the skies in deep red before turning to purple and then a blue so dark it could only be called night sky.

Then I felt the room temperature drop, the wall in front of my morphing painfully, the female figure became solid and then it was no longer the wall, it was her, the creature.

"Good evening, Anna. I'm glad you took my message in consideration. I will respond to all your questions if possible, my knowledge is not unlimited although greater than most common folk", her silky voice almost hypnotic, soothes my trembling.

She takes a sit in front of me, on the floor as well, ignoring the chair in which I saw her the first time.

"Stay there, do not get any closer"

The palm of my hand towards her, I needed my space, and I did not trust her. So, I layed a circle of salt around me. Half and inch wide, not a perfect circle, but closed as the Manual of white magic Volume 1 indicates. I'm so glad the school had this particular book in the library.

"I will keep my distance, if that is what you want, not because of the salt, I could easily blow a blizzard from my lips and dissipate the circle of protection, but, I'm here to talk"

A smirk, proud and confident, a treat I definitely envy of her.

"Am I under your hypnosis?"

"No"

"How could I trust you?"

"Look into my eyes, can you see the lines in my blue irises…"

"Yeah-what is-"

"Try to look away"

My neck and back started to hurt, I was trying to look away, but that incredible blue color...the mountains and valleys of that beautiful blue membrane.  
No, no, no, no. Stop looking at her eyes.  
But, I don't even want to blink anymore, all I want is to look into that ocean, that vast intricate beauty in blue.

"Now, you are free", her eyelids closed

My breathing accelerated, my heart pounding. I need to focus, I can show any weak- Where the hell. "Whe-where in the hell are we? What happened?"

"Relax, we are on your rooftop, do not run or you might fall", her voice was concerned about me?, "Does this responds to the question?"

"Y-yes, it does. Please do not ever do that again", my hand covering my eyes in fear of looking at those bright pale sapphires, in fear of being not only hypnotized again, but, addicted to that strange feeling of no control over myself. Why?

"What is the Ritual?, you mentioned before in the note and last night", even if I still dred her presence, I can now speak and I'm in control over my body. I try to look fierce and determined even after the mess I was after her brief hypnosis.

"The Ritual of ascension. An old tradition preceding written language. For a Vampire to become an adult in the eyes of our society, they must create a blood bond, an ancient magic that makes blood a conductor of knowledge"

"Why me?"

Why?  
Why not another vampire, a scientist, a movie star?

"I've been watching you from the shadows, for quite some time. My master told me that this choice has to generate from a spark, a unquantifiable feeling in the tip of your fingers...there is no name for 'it'"

Oh.

So does she realize what she just told me? Does she don't know the word Love?

Wait, is she in love with me?

Oh, what, what, how…

Don't blush, don't blush.

"Are you okay? Your heart beat is-"

"I'm fine, I just don't like the, the heights and, uh, I think the hypnosis got me dizzy, and, uh, can you...could we continue this tomorrow", I need to calm down!

"Is this a promise", her smile looks warm and content, and her fangs...dear gods, they are huge.

I swallow a large pool of anxiousness, "Y-yeah"

What am I doing!? Why is my face red and burning, why am I not disgusted, what is this feeling in the back of my neck.

"Well then, I will be back tomorrow at the break of night. Do not fear the night Anna Landart…"

And just like the night before, she was gone before I could blink.


	3. The same in the wild

"Another rough night, eh?"

"Yeah, it's not about a bug tho", don't say vampire!, "...it's uh, have you ever go to bed and tried to not think about something and then all you do is think about not thinking about it, until you actually let your brain think about 'it' and the you stay up late because you can't stop thinking about it"

"Uh, I guess…", she pauses and fixes her hair to continue in a lower volume, "sometimes I dream about the lights and when i wake up, I'm crying."

Her eyes have gotten watery, she is going to make me cry as well, she always does.

"Your mother still refuses to go to the Flying Lights ceremony on Corona?"

"She keeps on making excuses, some days is 'we have no money to do a trip like that', and some others is 'Corona is filled with ruffians and criminals'. At least she watched a youtube live with me the last time."

I wish I could help, but it's a family matter, all I can do is support her, "How about this: When we turn eighteen next year, I will take you to Corona myself, no buts"

Her arms around me tightly, tears wetting my shoulder.

The Flying lights ceremony is a yearly event in chich people of Corona go to the Grand Lake and light up flying japanese lanterns. They started doing so more than a decade ago, the first time it was only a group of parents who children went missing, they did so in an effort to communicate their hopes of their children return, some others to mourn…  
Rapz has always being fixated with the lights, maybe because it happens during her birthday. She even has a notebook filled with different drawings and sketches of the flying lanterns over the Grand lake.

"Feeling better?"

"I should be asking you that, Anna, you are the one who was falling asleep on class!"

And there it was, she was smiling again. she has a very volatile temper, she can be jumping bare feet on the school grounds and then, feel sad and cry about nothing, or so she says.

"Anyway, what are you writing, is that the science essay?"

Oh, crap! I was writing a list of questions for the vampire's third visit, quick, just do something brain.

I close the notebook as fast as I can, like an idiot.

"Oh, new boyfriend. Yes, finally, I told you you could leave ice boy behind, he just doesn't deserve you-"

"It's not, it's a, uh, a game I'm playing with a friend from the internet"

"A Vampire MMO?"

"Yeah…"

"But you won't play Kingdoms of Magic with me"

"I didn't get the item system, and the armors were not cute at all"

"They are functional, were you expecting a bikini armor?"

"Maybe a pleated skirt, or something like a magic girl but with armor", I hope this distracts her for a bit.

"...Anyway, what his name?"

"Uh, I don't know her name, only her player name, it's uh, Sweetwater"

"Her, oh, I see. She is a girlfriend then, I see"

"Yeah, she is a girl and a friend, but that's it"

"Well, remember that people from the internet always lie, maybe you think she wants to just be friends but, who knows what she really wants, or if its a woman, there are some creeps out there"

Oh here she goes again.  
The Flynn Ryder story…

"...he stole my Legendary sword, it only spawns in a zero point eighty one percent chance, and his name was not even Flynn, it was Eugene, or something, can you believe it!?"

* * *

The talk with Rapz was taxing but, she had a point, I should be still cautious with the vampire. Even if she was like, well, in love with me, that doesn't mean...well I'm not, and that should be uh, no, what I mean is that she could still be dangerous, she is still a predator, and I'm still a prey. That has not changed, the same in the wild, cattle is cattle and tigers have fangs, big sharped and deadly fangs.

I added more questions to the list, I was intrigued, never in my life I met a migrant, or royalty, or a rocket scientist. This was the first time I ever encounter someone...this is interesting. I'm a weird for being...not terrified. I want to see her tonight, I want to learn about this ritual, I want to end this bland existence, I want to be unique, to feel different for once. Books and films always make vampires lives seem tragic, they are constantly reminded of the length of their immortal lives, but, this woman, she doesn't seem to be branded by the burden of immortality. She doesn't seem to have regrets, all she offers is knowledge and, yes, she might be have feeling for me, but, it's fine, I'm as straight as a ruler. No matter how beautiful her blue iridescent eyes or how she make black leather pants look so good...but that is besides the point, I am straight.  
Okay, I did practice kissing with my best friend Rapunzel, but that doesn't count, right, and it was only a few times, like five or seven, those aren't enough to qualify as a lesbian...are they?

My train of thought was stopped by the judging gaze of my mom, it didn't help that apparently I had just stand there in the kitchen holding a dirty plate in one hand and the soapy sponge in the other for a minute or so, vacant look in the eyes.

After supper and the sun setting by the hills, mom went to sleep, early as her shift tomorrow was at five in the morning, just minutes before the sunrise.

I went to the kitchen and search on the cupboards for salt, but there just wasn't enough for two new circles for us to sit on. The mini vacuum machine was still in my room and the bag still had the salt from last night, maybe I could recycle that, I wonder if a bit of dust would be enough for the protection circle to lose all power, or enough power for her to reach into it.  
But, the hypnosis, how did she move me yesterday? Did I move on my own, or was the circle not working?

I walk up the stairs, my door is closed, unusual. I like to keep my door open when I'm not in the room as a sign of trust towards my mom and she doesn't raid it in my absence since we trust each other.

I can hear something moving inside, the street lights casting the shadow under the wooden door. It must be her, the vampire.

I grab the door knob, but I release it immediately, it was cold as ice.

My heart is pounding beyond control, yet, my hand grabs the door knob again, I need to see, even if its not her but something worse, I have to know what is inside.

I hold my breath as I open push the door open, the cold wind hits my face, even if the windows are closed. My eyes must be deceiving me, frozen spikes hanging on the ceiling, snow on the floor, a cube of solid clear ice engulfing my bed.

And sitting on the floor, the same figure that had visited my twice before, sitting with her eyes closed, her legs crossed, her right feet bouncing. Was she suffering the cold, or was she anxious?

Her eyes open, she seems surprised to see me.

Yes, even if this is my house and my room, she seemed to be surprised to see me.

"A-apologies, uh, the cold, sometimes I lose control of it when I'm nervous", so she is capable of anxiety and social anxiety, that, that is interesting, "I will make it go away, I know humans don't do well with it"

She moves her hands in front of her face, quickly, forming vortexes on each of her hands, blue particles of what I can only describe as 'magic', flew from every frozen corner of the room into the revolving swirls. And as her right hand made the traced a triangle in the air, the blistering cold was gone.

"How does that work, creating ice?"

"I learned to control my body temperature at a very young age, and as my master teachings about magic, the ice control came very natural to me", she flairs out by creating an enormous snowflake made out of clear ice with her power and then vanishing it with a swift move of her finger.

"..."

"You have more questions, right?, That is why you wanted to see me tonight"

I did have more questions, a list really, a list I organized throughout the day, but, right now, what was intriguing me was the white circle on the floor. A magic circle, a few steps in front of her, it was drawn with chalk, with very complicated designs and symbols. I can recognize a few of them, those being the one that represent planets and constellations, the rest, I have never seen before.

"You can see it?, that is good. The white circle is a Sun circle, is a protection against vampires, it wouldn't kill me, but it would drain my strength if I violate its boundaries".

"So its more efficient than a salt circle?"

"A salt circle would create pain, lacerate my skin, but trust me, I could bear that pain with ease if I need to"

My cheeks started to burn, why, was it her tone of voice, the fact that she was on her knees, the couple of loose buttons of her shirt...no, it must be hypnosis, I need to look in a different direction, I can't be her prey.

"I-I left my notebook down stairs, I'll b-be back in a minu-"

"The one with the questions you've prepared for me," the notebook was in her left hand, I'm not sure how fast she can move, or if she can stop time, or can move objects using portals… all I know is that she had my notebook in her possession, along with my excuses to leave the room.


	4. Word of mouth

"Oh, there is a whole section here: 'Does holy water hurts you?', 'Are there weapons that can kill a vampire?', Do oak stakes…', really Anna, oak stakes?", she was not mad, she seemed a bit annoyed by the questions, a deep breath and her eyes rolling before continuing, "Well, you humans are in the dark, is what we want after all, but not for you, you are a Seed now, or rather a potential seed".

"What does that mean exactly?"

"A seed is the name we give those with enough compatible genes from the old humanity tree. You, are a descendant of Vampire blood, and has your ancestor, you too have the potential to awaken the power residing within you".

I sat down, inside the sun circle, "This is what you want from me, right, for me to become your student, for me to carry on the legacy, that is what the ritual is about", I try to sound confident, I have to gain some control, and besides, if she doesn't feel threatened by my wish to learn how to kill her kind, then there is nothing I can do to make her lose control over the situation.

"Yes, and today we will begin with your lessons," a smile draws in her face, a bit crooked, a sinister perhaps, but still a smile, "I should start with our roots, the roots of humankind. In the beginning, more than five million years ago, we were but primates running away from the dying jungle, forced to adapt to walk in two legs, as time and evolution took their course, new branches were formed: Homo Sapiens, Pongo, Homininae, Pan…these are the ones that survived, but you are aware of them of course, its basic biology," I pretended to understand and simply nodded, hoping there was no pop quiz to become a vampire. "but, secret to must Homo Sapiens alive in these modern times, are four more, parallel to their branch, yet extremely similar"

"Wait, this is giving me a headache, could you, fast forward to the vampires, and please try to make it, you know, more digestible"

"Well, I guess...dogs, yeah dogs that might work"

"Dogs?" I couldn't help but to show an ugly confused face.

"Yes, dogs come in different sizes and races, even if they all are descendants of the wolf, they come from different breeds of wolves from different parts of the world."

"So you are would be german shepherd and I would be.."

"A golden retriever, yeah sort of"

"I was going to say a Corgi, but I guess is not that important is it"

We started laughing. Why was that so funny?  
A little Corgi with orange pigtails, would be a perfect fit for me.

I could feel my eyes watery and my midriff tensed because of laughing. She has a pretty smile...the fangs are not as scary right now. I mean, they are nothing but large canines right, mean looking dogs are just that, mean looking, maybe, she is not evil, she was just born like that. Was she born like that?

"Elisabeta, were you born a vampire or did your master turn you into one?"

Her smile disappeared, her expression was invaded with concern, she was obviously uneasy with the question, and that, that was so interesting. I need to know, if there is something I can use against her, I have to know what it is, what her weak spot is, how to break her perfect and immortal myth. A flaw in her armor, this might be it.

"I, I was born a human, or that is what I thought, or rather knew, it was all I ever knew until the day of the accident." Her eyes seek for mine, but she dodges, her eyes reflecting the white magic circle, "It was a cloudy day, grandma was in the hospital so we were going to visit her. I was four, and...my memory has a few gaps about the crash, but I do remember how happy we were before father had to stir the wheel off the road to avoid a massive truck wheel coming in the opposite direction. I can remember the awful sound of the metal impacting the frozen lake, the shattering of both the metal and ice…"

She went silent, she was crying. My chest was tight, her sorrow was so, so, human. I feel the need to comfort her, to hug her, but I'm still afraid of her. I can't forget that the nook of my neck is their preferred meal.

"For the first time, I felt fear, a primal panic. I tried to open the door, I tried to wake my parents, but nothing was working. The freezing water from the lake started to crawl into the vehicle, the water turned red with blood, there was blood in my hand and then, in an action I didn't comprehend, I tamed the fear turning it from paralyzing panic to will to survive, my fist broke thru the car door's window. The cold water around me had no effect, I wasn't shaking, I was swimming faster than I could have ever dreamed of, I could feel a power within me… but then I was on the surface, lying on the frozen lake, tired and weak, even thru the clouds, the effects of the sun light can affect a vampire"

She might be a monster, cold and blood thirsted, but I am not.  
I leave the circle jumping into her, my arms wrapping around her shoulders. Her skin is soft but really cold, she has a heartbeat, she is not undead, and her breath is warm in my neck. It was scary, but, I was a Seed, maybe getting bit tonight would be no different than the night of the ritual, right?

"I, I don't think I'll ever be able to tell this story without crying," she wipes the tears from her cheeks, "well, that was my story, I guess you owe me a story as well. Any accidents, any great memory you could share with me?"

"I. uh well," I have the most boring life ever, what should I tell her, what amazing story can I come up?, oh, maybe something about Kirs-no, not Kristoff, I'm not gonna talk about my ex boyfriend after she told my her tragic tale. I guess I have to be honest, "my life has been, boring, no major accidents or major events of any sorts, sorry"

"Are you sure you never had an accident?, that strand of silver hair, does it has a story?"

She seems determined to hear a story. But I really had nothing of value to tell.

"I was born with it, is just a birthmark"

"I see...I guess we need to get back to your lessons now"

"Oh, right, right, seed lessons, I almost forgot about it. What's the next lesson about?"

"Magic affinity. A seed must have magic affinity, being able to perceive and interact with the eter is vital"

"So, you can teach me, right?", I really hope she does, being able to control fire, or ice, or to fly...oh how wonderful that would be, magic!

"Yes, sort of, all I need from you is to…", she stops and a smile draws on her lips very slowly, as she had just remembered an old fond memory or joke, "...to look into my eyes"

"Why-no!"

No, not this again.

Just look away eyeballs, just stop, do not feed on those precious sapphires, those, those delicate pools of blue tinted membrane, do not stare straight into the beautiful mysterious eyes. Please blink, please listen to me, no matter how wonderful it is...do not look away. No, what am I doing? I said keep looking...what is wrong with me?

I can't see anything but her irises. The room we are in, the bed to my left, the moonlight crawling thru the window, all those are memories, I can not longer see, for all I need is to look into those blue divine twin stars.

But, there is something on my lips, something forcing its way into my mouth. There is nothing I can do…

* * *

 **h3IIo, it has been a while since we talked, like this, hasn't it. For some reason I did not felt like making a note, perhaps to keep the flow of the story, perhaps there were not necessary. This is a shorter chapter...I was enjoying the holidays, a bit too much, but hey, at least Anna made some progress, she is calling the creature a 'she' and even call her by her name.**


	5. Breath in

It feels like if I had roots coming into my mouth, crawling to the back of my throat. It doesn't hurt, it doesn't even bother me, nothing really bothered me while looking into those precious eyes. Not the sitting on the edge of my knees, not the strange feeling of being invaded, not the taste of my own blood in the back of my mouth, nothing is painful even.

After a minute, I understand what was in my mouth, is her fingers, maybe…  
Breaching inside of my, looking for something, or trying to put something in me. But why should I care, if that unbelievable blue asks me to, I will obey, I will do as I'm told.

"You are free now, look away"

"I don't want to...I mean, what in the…", I would have screamed, but mom was sleeping, so I shouted in a whisper, "what in the hell was that, what did you do to me?"

"I fixed a part of your brain, well not fixed, I modified a part of your brain so you could gain magical perception"

She said that nonchalantly. As if she hadn't promised to never put me under hypnosis...wait, did she, I can't remember. But I have to be mad, and scared…

But, those lights on the walls, thin strings of light traversing the surface of the wall, traveling in pulses. Whatever she did to my brain, it made my boring room into a light festival filled with iridescent dust like blue fireflies, and there was her, not only was an aura of bright red contouring her, there were also lines of energy traversing her form in angles, pulsing in slow intervals, fading.

Not only in my room, I look out thru the window and I am the scenery has changed, the always green from spring to the first week of autumn, now yellow droplets of light hang to the grass leaves.

There was a reason for me to ignore all the red flags, a hope for a moment like this to be real. For life to have a greater meaning, for life to have colors more vivid than vivid colors.

"Is this how life is seen thru your eyes?", there was nostalgy on those words, as if I was longing for this inexplicable brand new feeling, and, in I way, yes, I have wanted for something peculiar, but, it was, I can't explain it, it was different.

She walks towards me, a tissue in her hand, the cotton fibers drying tears I have completely ignore, I was not sad, I was overwhelmed. Her face was look tender as she soothed me, me head resting against her touch, "Don't worry Anna, you will be able to filter energy by their individual strength, I would love to give you tips about it, but quite frankly, as a process it is impossible for words to translate it. It comes from within and, it feels different to everyone"

"I think I can understand that, some things are beyond understanding even for the eternal"

She smiled awkwardly, maybe my words were not sensible enough, "I will leave for the night, try to sleep early, it will help your body assimilate these new sensations"

"That sounds like a good idea, I guess", I suddenly feel heavy, tired, feverish, well, sleeping just started to sound a lot more, uh, what is the word… "What is the word for that sounds good, but good-er"

"Good night Anna"

"Good night, vampyrella"

I think she tucked me in, and might smiled before blinked out of existence, but I can't actually remember, I was just so sleepy.

* * *

Breakfast will be different from now on it seems. Eggs and bacon both have their own beams flowing thru them, bacon seems to be less powerful than a hard boiled egg, I guess. It's like having a calorie counter in my brain, but for magic 'thingies'. I wonder if Elisabeta could help me figure this out or if it one of those unexplainable concepts that not even a immortal could put into words.

Cooking was also a brand new experience, the blue gas flame was now the same color of white light as the energy within rocks; seeds, vegetables, leaves, trees and some fabrics have yellow beams; the egg and bacon are both red colored beams; water has a light blue hue; light bulbs have green dots like fireflies.

I also have red beams running thru my body, maybe all animals have red lines, although my patterns are more similar to Elisabeta's than eggs, even if she is not human.

Today is Sunday, usually, I'll get my denim skinnies and a cute shirt and go downtown window shopping with Rapz, but, today I might go for a hike to the hills. I'm guessing the best way to get used to the magic perception would be to see more things at the same time.

I prepared a backpack with two bottles of water, a ham and cheese sandwich, the external emergency battery for my phone, a mini usb cable and a small notebook and pencil just in case.

I changed out of my pajamas into something more resilient and appropriate for the wilderness, blue denim jeans, old snickers, a pink t-shirt or else I would might look like a boy and to finish the outfit, my hair in a simple ponytail.

I was about to leave my room, when I remembered the book I got from the library a few days ago, the Manual of White Magic vol 1, I grabbed it, it might not be a basic necessity, but I have to see if anything on it is worth a try, I mean, the salt part was real and, if I want to be a Seed or rather a good Seed, I need to learn more. And besides, Elisabeta must be sleeping right now, so the best I can do is use this time to save her time so she can have...more time to teach me.

Now I can see that the book also has beams of light traversing its pages, but is not yellow, its pink. Perhaps, the white yellowish old pages are embedded in a sort of external magic that I still have not seen. A protection, a curse?

Will every day from now on be this exciting?  
No more routines, no more boring afternoons waiting for something good to watch on the television. Every day a new evil or a new power or a new...something, anything really.

I leaf thru it pages, looking for nothing in particular, well, honestly looking for an easy spell, even if its just to flip pages faster, as long as I can actually make it.

'Breathing exercises to generate energy, improve your health and fight weak respiratory systems.  
Step one: Stand still, make sure your spine is properly lined but do not force it, make it as natural as possible.  
Step two: To create a better experience its recommended to use an scent to facilitate the tracking and control of air inhaled.  
Step three: With the scent oil or incense lit, center yourself by lining your sternum to the lit scent.  
Step four: Breath in, hold the air for…'

This spell seems easy to make and I believe a Cinnamon and chocolate scented candle count as the material needed for it, and besides, who wouldn't like a better health.

I got the candle from the bathroom, a box of matches and went back upstairs. I resume reading the steps and follow them as well as I can. The candle is lit and centered with my sternum, I close my eyes and breath in, holding the mouth watery scented air for five seconds then releasing it slowly thru my barely parted lips, the book says to do so and feel the air traversing from the lungs to the lips, to feel it vibrate thru the air channels as it travels in and out.

The next step is a bit confusing, it says '...after doing this for a minute, continue to control your breathing by inhaling air only with your right lung, moving the air then to the other organ and release slowly…'

After trying to do so for a while and failing...obviously, I decided that I would leave the book at home and just take the usual hike backpack.

Before leaving I double check my items, nothing missing, not even the front door key nor the emergency underwear were missing. And as usual, the routine visit to the restroom before going on an adventure. Then as I wash my hands I look at the mirror, my lips and nose are bright pink, it is not blush, this color was...magic. Beams of pink light revolting on my skin creating circular patterns and bouncing. Perhaps I couldn't move air from a single lung to the other but, I was able to concentrate the lights into my lips and my nose. So maybe it will be possible to move this energy to my fingers, or to the air, oh, maybe that how she does it, the ice power, she just breathes out her magic and changes the power in the air forcing them to move slower and forcing the molecules to freeze.

I should try, I will breathe out magic and freeze the mirror on the cabinet.

But, what if it breaks or worse...what if instead of freezing my power sets the house on fire. Maybe going out to a less populated area was really a good idea from the start.

* * *

The hike was fruitful, I was able to sketch various animals and plants and a brief explanation on how their pattern was unique to each of them. I have so much new information, but no one to share it to at home. Well no one crazy enough to believe any if the recent event. Even I keep fearing waking up at any moment, just being back at bed, my life back where it was a week ago. Routine.

I fast forwarded thru supper and politely use evasive on mom to avoid our conversation to take longer that I was planning. I so wanted to share all my progress with her, I kept looking at the window and the old clock hanging on the living room wall, waiting for the sun down to come.

When the day came to an end and the sky went deep purple, I heard my door closing slowly, it was her, she finally came.

I go up the stairs skipping steps, but not running, I was pumped up but a bit tired after an afternoon of walking and drawing bunnies and their colorful power beams.

I open the door slowly, tempted to knock first, she is waiting for me the same as last time, sitting on the floor, a red halo in chalk underneath her, some ice flakes on her skin, a nervous smile as she sees me.

But, what about me?

What is my face doing?  
Can she see the strange warming up in my chest and cheeks.

I mean-I, I am not blushing, right, this is like uh, what is this cold heat in my chest?


End file.
